What Franklin has been able to do with such little talent in a short amount of time is what makes him so appealing to the bigger programs, and Vanderbilt will have to do everything in their power to retain him past this season.

Franklin's 3 seasons at Vandy

Season

Record

Biggest Win(s)

Bowl Appearence

Home Record

2011

6-7

Ole Miss

Loss in Liberty Bowl

5-2

2012

9-4

Tennessee, Auburn

Win in Music City Bowl

4-2

2013

3-2

N/A

?

2-1

ESPN.com

If Vanderbilt heads to another bowl game this season, which it appears they will, then Franklin will get even more enticing offers in the offseason.

Unfortunately for Vanderbilt, they remain a stepping stone program for up and coming coaches until they can establish themselves as an SEC power year after year. That's obviously no easy feat, and that is why it will be so difficult to keep Franklin much longer.

It is always possible that Franklin does choose to stay at Vanderbilt and continue to build his own legacy at a program that was at the bottom. If he continues to embrace the challenge of building a program from the ground up, then Vanderbilt has a small chance to keep him for many more years.

This is where the fans come into the equation. Franklin has always been very outspoken about getting the fanbase involved and them turning out in big numbers to give Vanderbilt a home field advantage that they have never enjoyed in SEC matchups.

He's made progress in that department, especially if you watched how much black and gold was actually in the stands for the matchup with Tennessee last season. Usually, that home contest for Vanderbilt is filled more than half with the orange colors of Tennessee, but it was much more in favor of Vanderbilt in the most recent meeting in Nashville.

How much longer will James Franklin remain with Vandy?

Just this season1 or 2 more seasons3-plus seasonsSubmit Votevote to see results

How much longer will James Franklin remain with Vandy?

Just this season

31.9%

1 or 2 more seasons

22.7%

3-plus seasons

45.4%

Total votes: 432

This year's season opener against Ole Miss was another good example of how Franklin has ignited the fanbase into making Vanderbilt Stadium a tough place to play for SEC opponents.

Franklin deserves a ton of credit for that, as do the fans who responded. They have to continue to show that Vanderbilt is a program worth staying with for such a talented coach like Franklin.

The reported attendance for Vanderbilt's last home game was over 32,000 for UAB, and that number needs to be a sellout when Missouri comes to town this upcoming week. Those kinds of things, like soldout stadiums full of crazy fans, can help keep a passionate coach like Franklin on the sidelines in Nashville.

A huge fork in the road is about to come up for Franklin on his head coaching journey that is less than three years old. He certainly has a bright future ahead of him, but the jury is still out on if that will be with Vanderbilt or a more glamorous program.